McGrath: Minnie Minoso a Legend, But Not Hall of Fame-Worthy

He messed around with a bloke named Smoky Burgess
Hidee-hidee-hidee-ho…

Minoso’s influence is less celebrated, though as a Spanish-speaking, dark-skinned Cuban he had to overcome a daunting language barrier as well as a reluctantly falling color barrier when he reached the big leagues for good in 1951. He was traded to the White Sox that year, and became a baseball treasure in Chicago, a dynamic performer on the field and a cheerful, charismatic presence in the community.

While multiple award winners like Rod Carew, Alex Rodriguez, Roberto Clemente and Pedro Martinez might exaggerate the degree of Latino dominance, there is no denying the impact players from Latin America have had on baseball.

Latinos held more than 28 percent of M.L.B.’s opening-day-roster spots in 2011. Since Minoso’s debut in 1949, 19 most valuable players, 10 Cy Young Award winners, 31 batting champions and 19 home run leaders have been of Latino descent.

...Bill Veeck owned the Indians when they signed Minoso in ’48. He brought him back to Chicago in 1960, after buying the White Sox, one of several dubious trades that mortgaged the future of the ’59 pennant winners. Veeck loved Minnie, but using him as a prop in some of his stunts, like pinch-hitting him as a 54-year-old (or a 58-year-old) in 1980, no doubt diminishes his ballplayer bona fides.

Can you imagine the fierce warrior Jackie Robinson or the defiantly proud Roberto Clemente going along with such a gag? But that was Minoso, almost childlike in his love for the game.

Cooperstown? I’m not seeing it, and I’m sorry to say it.